Robot vacuum cleaners have been around for years now and while everyone is very happy with the new additions to their homes, companies have been constantly pushing the boundaries and updating their products with further improvements.
The Roborock is a great example – now, thanks to years of research and development, they are more than just vacuum cleaners.
They are now a fantastic vacuum cleaner and mop hybrid, all compact into a single appliance!
And it doesn’t stop there – the Roborock has been getting frequent updates, with new models being released at a mind-boggling rate. But how exactly are they all different?
And which one comes out on top?
Today, we are going to be looking at the Roborock S5 Max, the Roborock S6, and the Roborock S6 Pure. We will be reviewing each one and then comparing them together to see which Roborock is the best one for your home.
~~~ Check Price: Roborock S5 Max ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Roborock S6 ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Roborock S6 Pure ~~~
Roborock S5 Max
The Roborock S5 Max was first released in late 2019, and was the first in the Roborock vacuum and mop cleaner range to feature a pumped water system instead of a gravity-fed mopping system.
But what are the results of this new feature like, especially now this system has been further enhanced in new models?
While the Roborock S5 Max is the oldest model out of the three we are reviewing, that does not necessarily mean it is automatically out of the running for the title of best Roborock vacuum and mop cleaner – nor should you dismiss purchasing your very own.
Because the Roborock S5 Max is a part of the older generation of Roborock vacuum and mop cleaners, they are more likely to be sold at a more affordable price than the others.
Plus, you may be able to bag one in a sale at a ridiculously low price, meaning that this Roborock is great for those shopping on a budget that want a good bargain.
That is, if it functions properly and meets our standards.
Features
Like we said earlier, the Roborock S5 Max is the first in its line to feature a pumped water system.
This means that it was the first to allow you to customize your mopping as you could set the water flow to your preferred setting to change the cleaning intensity.
This was a huge performance from previous models when they would just let the water flow out at its usual rate, even if the floor only needed light or heavy clean.
Not only did the Roborock S5 Max improve its mopping features, but it also brought them serious cleaning power with an increased suction power of 2000Pa.
This does make the S5 Max rather noisy, but it does help it pick up more dirt and debris compared to previous models.
And finally, the Roborock S5 Max is also compatible with Amazon Alexa support, which means that you can use the app on your phone or voice control to start and stop your Roborock’s cleanups.
This is a great feature, especially for those with mobility issues that makes household chores more difficult to complete and also for those with fine motor issues where handling a mobile phone might be tricky.
This gives them a bit more independence and helps them achieve a clean and happy home without having to strain or push themselves.
Basically, the Roborock S5 Max has everything it needs to function as a good vacuum and mop cleaner along with a few extra features to make using this robot cleaner easier.
The question now is – do all these features actually work?
Performance
The most important part about buying a robot vacuum and mop cleaner is its performance.
No matter how many features it lists or how good it looks, if it can’t clean a floor properly then there is no use in getting one.
This is why we paid extra attention when testing out our Roborocks – and the S5 Max is no exception.
It boasts that it has a powerful suction and a new water system, but how good is it at actually doing its job and cleaning the floors?
When we tested the Roborock S5 Max, it quickly made its way around our pre-made map and had no trouble with navigation at all. It does not struggle switching from carpet to hardfloor, and it glides easily over both.
We tested out mopping first on a hard tiled floor and the Roborock S5 Max left it clean and shiny.
Tougher marks had to be manually cleaned with a mop, however, but if you are looking for something that will just give your tiles a quick and easy mop over, then S5 Max can do just that.
As for vacuuming, the S5 Max did great on the tiled floor. It picked up debris and dirt with ease, even in the grouting between the tiles, but struggled a little bit around the edges by the walls.
The real issue came when we tried it on the carpet – don’t get us wrong, it did a good job but it was clear that it did not pick up everything.
Despite showing 2000Pa of suction power, it was not enough to leave us overly happy. Sure, it picked up bits of debris but we could still feel a bit of dust in the carpet.
So really, the Roborock S5 Max is ideal for a quick zoom around before guests come over but not for a serious deep clean. Areas that need special attention will have to be done by you, especially when it comes to vacuuming.
Design
Now, aesthetics and appearance is not always on everyone’s mind when it comes to finding the right Roborock for them. However, for others, it can be a dealbreaker.
That is why we are pleased to say that the Roborock S5 Max has a nice, sleek design that makes it visually appealing.
It’s body is made from plastic but the level of quality is high as it looks glossy and feels rather sturdy, so the likelihood of your Roborock S5 breaking and cracking is not very high.
You have the option of purchasing your Roborock S5 Max in either black or white so you can match it to your color scheme or other appliances.
Also, the design of the Roborock S5 Max makes it very easy to handle. Opening the lid to access the bin was a breeze and removing parts like the roller brush to clean was easy.
Usually with these kinds of appliances, it can be a bit of a fuss trying to lift the lid or acces the water tank but the Roborock S5 Max’s design makes maintaining and taking good care of it simple and hassle free.
It is also designed with a water tank capacity that measures at 290ml, which means that you are less likely to find yourself constantly refilling this Roborock mop cleaner!
Also, the dust bin measures at a 460 ml which is a little on the small size, but it does help keep this robot vacuum and mop cleaner smaller and more compact to fit under furniture and get into tighter corners.
Overall, we like the look of the Roborock S5 Max and we are especially impressed with how simple it is to clean and maintain.
Pros
- The Roborock S5 Max has a nice, simple design that is easy to clean and maintain.
- It is also easy to set up on the app and quickly gets to work with no problems relating to navigation.
- Its water system allows you to choose between a quick light mop or a deeper clean depending on the state of your tiled floors.
Cons
- Despite boasting 2000Pa suction power, we weren’t overly impressed with its vacuuming abilities.
Roborock S6
Next up is the Roborock S6.
This was the start of the next generation of Roborock vacuum and mop cleaners, so you would assume that this one will be a more powerful, more up to date version of the Roborock S5 Max.
However, that doesn’t always turn out to be true.
So, let’s put the Roborock S6 to the test and see how it does.
Features
The Roborock S6, when looked at on paper, is very similar to the previous Roborock S5 Max.
Both have the same suction power measuring at 2000Pa, both have an excellent battery life of on average 3 hours, and both claim to have a mopping feature that will leave your floors sparkling.
It also features the same compatibility with Alexa and Siri so you can control your Roborock S6 either by voice control or through the app – just like with the Roborock S5 Max.
So what makes it different from the Roborock S5 Max?
On the surface, they are very similar but the S6 does feature additional sensors that allows it to switch to a more powerful suction when it feels itself roll onto carpet flooring. This will help you get more dust and debris out of your carpet.
Also the Roborock S6 introduces an auto top-up feature that allows it to return to its docking and recharge all by itself when it feels its battery running low in the middle of a cleanup.
The Roborock S6 will automatically return to vacuuming once its battery is recharged enough.
This way, you won’t lose precious cleaning time when your Roborock S6 suddenly dies before finishing a floor.
But the main difference is that the S6 does not feature the S5 Max’s customizable mopping feature that allowed you to up the cleaning intensity on dirtier hard surfaced floors.
This means that all your floors will be given the same intensity of cleaning whether it needs it or not.
This is a huge disappointment but will it actually make a difference when it comes to testing the Roborock S6 out?
Performance
When we tested out the Roborock S5 Max, we were impressed by its mopping performance but not so much by its vacuuming.
However, with the Roborock S6, it’s the other way around – we are much happier with its vacuuming performance but have been let down massively by its mopping.
Although it boasts the same suction power as the S5 Max, the Roborock S6 features a boost when it moves onto carpet areas to help suck up more dust and debris – and we think that it really does work.
The carpet felt cleaner than it did after we ran the S5 Max over it, so the Roborock has definitely improved in that area.
But when it came to mopping, we really missed the water customizing feature. The cleaning intensity on the Roborock S6 is a very light mop at the maximum.
To be honest, we could barely tell the difference. Although the S5 Max did not do well mopping up marks, at least it left the floor looking as if it had been mopped. The tiled floor after the S6 went over just looked…well, damp.
Navigation wise, the Roborock S6 was just as easy to use as the S5 Max was. We had no trouble getting the S6 back into its docking and it quite happily moved around the room, following the layout we had made on the app.
It’s just a shame that where the Roborock S6 improves upon the S5 Max, it also falls down on the areas the S5 Max did well.
Design
When it comes to its design, there is nothing really different from it when compared to the Roborock S5 Max.
Both use the same high-quality plastic for the body and both give customers the option of choosing black or white.
The only real difference we can see between the two is a slight difference with the buttons and one of the logos has moved. It is still as compact and light as the S5 Max and easily moves underneath furniture.
Inside, the layout and design is also very similar – only with one glaring difference.
The water tank is only able to hold 148 ml of water, a huge drop from the tank capacity in the Roborock S5 Max.
On the other hand, the dust bin can hold 480 ml of dirt, which is a slight increase but in our opinion, it’s not enough to compensate for the drop in water.
Because of this design flaw, you will definitely find yourself constantly filling up your water tank to mop the same area of floor.
It’s disappointing, but hopefully this issue is fixed in the next model of Roborock – the Roborock S6 Pure!
Pros
- The Roborock S6 features a great battery life, including an auto top-up feature where it will recharge itself quickly and carry on vacuuming.
- Noticeably better at vacuuming carpets, thanks to its sensors that boost the suction power when crossing over to carpet flooring.
- Sleek and compact design allows it to fit under furniture.
Cons
- The water capacity in the water tank is very low compared to older models and may be why we were not as impressed with the mopping as we were with the S5 Max.
Roborock S6 Pure
And finally, we have the Roborock S6 Pure.
What is surprising about the Roborock S6 Pure is that it is actually being sold at a more affordable price than the S6 is!
This is because, according to Roborock themselves, the S6 provides more comprehensive cleaning – but why is that, and does that mean the Roborock S6 Pure will leave us even more disappointed than the S6 did?
Features
The reason why Roborock claims that the S6 provides a more comprehensive clean than the S6 Pure is because the S6 features more sensors to help it map and navigate your home, finding more dirt and debris for it to clean up.
However, the S6 Pure only has 3 less sensors than the S6 – so will this really make a huge difference in its performance?
There is another difference with the S6 Pure – adjustable cleaning intensity is back! You can now switch between high and low mopping flows to help clean floors that need that little extra attention.
We dearly missed this feature with the Roborock S6 and it really affected the S6’s performance so hopefully, it will work just as well on the S6 Pure as it did on the S5 Max.
Other than that, the Roborock S6 Pure is mostly the same when compared to the S6.
It also features 2000Pa of suction power with a boost sensor when it crosses to carpet. This made a difference in the S6’s performance so hopefully it will continue to shine through with the S6 Pure.
The Roborock S6 Pure is also compatible with Alexa so the voice control ability is also present in this model, making it still a great choice for those with mobility and fine motor issues.
So things are looking good for the Roborock S6 Pure – it has brought back the best features from the S5 Max and kept the best features from the S6. So will it prove to be the best performing Roborock?
Performance
Seeing as the Roborock S6 Pure features the better mopping system and the better vacuuming system from the previous models, we assumed that it would be the best performing robot vacuum and mop cleaner.
So when we set it to work, we had relatively high hopes.
First – vacuuming. Cleaning the hard surface floors was a breeze but the real test came with the carpet. Although it was not perfect, the vacuuming power is definitely an improvement from the S5 Max and is more on par with the S6.
The carpet sensors really do boost the power and the carpet did feel fresher and cleaner after the S6 Pure was done, although it was not entirely perfect.
We held our breaths when it came to mopping.
The water intensity system was just as easy to use as it had been with the S5 Max and we could up the intensity to give the floor a much deeper clean than what the S6 provided. While it still could not get rid of any of the more stubborn marks, the Roborock S6 Pure still gives our hard surface floors a good clean, leaving it shiny and fresher.
So, we were very happy with the Roborock S6 Pure performance. Finally, it seems like Roborock has finally found a balance between the two cleaning systems.
Design
Just like with the S6 and the S5 Max, the Roborock S6 Pure does not look much different physically from its predecessors.
It still follows the compact and sleek design that allows the Roborocks to fit underneath furniture and into tight spots for a larger cleaning area, so design wise you only notice a difference inside the Roborock S6 Pure.
The dust bin has been reduced in size from the S6 to 460 ml, which despite being slightly smaller, is still a fair sized dust bin for such a compact appliance.
The real improvement comes with the water tank. We were not happy to see it shrink so dramatically from the S5 Max to the S6, but thankfully, Roborock has taken on that feedback from customers and increased the water tank’s capacity again.
It is now able to hold 180 ml water which, while still a drop from the 290 ml tank of the S5 Max, is an improvement from the S6.
Another thing to mention is that while the material used for the body of the Roborock S6 Pure is still the same high-quality plastic as always, the brushes feel slightly lower in quality.
However, as you can tell from our performance section, we did not really notice a massive difference here so the change had very little effect in our opinion.
Pros
- The Roborock S6 Pure brings back the much needed mopping intensity feature that helps boost its mopping performance.
- It also does fairly well when it comes to vacuuming, better than the S5 Max’s performance, making this overall good robot vacuuming and mopping cleaner
- It is available at a lower price than the S6 despite being a newer model.
Cons
- Uses lower quality products (for example: the brushes) but this does not make a huge impact on the vacuuming performance.
Our Overall Verdict
So – which of the three Roborock robot vacuum and mop cleaners would we recommend you purchase?
We have to go with the Roborock S6 Pure as it is just the perfect middle between all three Roborock cleaners.
Where the S5 Max swings too much towards mopping and the S6 swings too much towards vacuuming, the S6 Pure is a complete balance of the two so you can have the best of both worlds.
Other than this difference, they are all very similar in terms of design and features. So, they are all very good choices but the Roborock S6 Pure just picks it to the post for us.
All three Roborock cleaners are available to purchase both at Amazon or on the Roborock official website.
~~~ Check Price: Roborock S5 Max ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Roborock S6 ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Roborock S6 Pure ~~~
